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Sunday 4 December 2022

To the Grove

The national park on Prince Edward Island received a great deal of damage from the storm known as Fiona. Recently, after much work by park personnel, a few areas of the park, including Cavendish Grove, were opened to visitors. The last several weeks, high winds with lower temperatures have precluded picnics, but on a cold day, with less wind, we took a picnic and headed to the park, anxious to see for ourselves what was left of one of our favourite places on the island.


My husband and I stopped at Cavendish Grove to see how the old trees in the Grove fared with the storm. We had a quick look and decided to return there for lunch since, to our surprise, many of the trees in the Grove appeared to have survived. 





The overlook at Oceanview in Cavendish is open in spite of damage to the viewing area. We could see Cavendish Beach in the distance, but people are not permitted on the beach due to the damaged dunes. 





Off-shore, birds which I couldn’t identify at a distance provided a challenge for the camera. However, later looking at the photos, I saw Long-tailed Ducks, gulls




and Common Eiders.





We continued along the Gulf Shore Parkway to MacKenzies Brook where the sea arch, seen here in late October,





became a sea stack last month. The arch was weakened by the storm and it was only a matter of time for the top to collapse.





We drove on to North Rustico where down by the lighthouse, the damage from Fiona is evident.





Back at Cavendish Grove, we cleared the ice from one end of a picnic table and covered the bench with layers of towels against the cold.





The beef stew was delicious, piping hot and with the hot tea, warmed us to our toes.





A walk to the beach followed. The damage to the trees along the way was sad to see. 





This trail used to be beneath a canopy. It will be different next summer. However, along the way, shots of colour from the wild flowers and shrubs lifted our spirits.





Nature does her best in the harshest of conditions.





The beach is closed to visitors but some dunes were visible through the trees. 




The Lake of Shining Waters was shining with a skim of ice over its surface that day. 





We only saw two other people in the park that day but it was good to see that the park will continue in spite of the damage.

35 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

So much damage. Farewell, sea arch!

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Still lots of beauty despite the damage. Those Eiders are beautiful! Sad to see the damage to the sea arch and lighthouse quarters.

Billie Jo said...

Thank you for sharing these pohotos. I aam sad about the damage to your lovely world, but there is still so much beauty. Your picnic lunch sounds delicious and cozy. Have a lovely day!

Linda d said...

A gorgeous landscape. Hope the people from the lighthouse had somewhere to land. I don’t think they’ll be coming home anytime soon.

Boud said...

It's good to see what continues and what will change. I like your hot winter picnics!

Debbie said...

the damage does not seem too severe, but certainly, you know better!! and the poor person who lived in the white home would beg to differ with me!!

so sad to see the sea arch changed...

i love those long tailed ducks, i see them here most winters, down by the inlet to the ocean!!

lunch looks yummy, (beef stew) you guys have such an adventurous spirit!!

jozien said...

Beautiful!

Sandi said...

So sorry to see the damage.

Elephant's Child said...

Lots of damage, but a different beauty is emerging.
Thank you for this documentary.

DJan said...

Although you showed me much change in the landscape, there is much still beautiful and to be enjoyed. I love your wonderful lunch, which would have warmed ME to my toes, too. Goodbye sea arch.

photowannabe said...

Ohhh, so sad to see the arch gone but I guess Mother Nature redesigns things all the time.
I love your sense of adventure and your planned picnics. Hot beef stew and tea are perfect for the cold and hauntingly beautiful day.
Sue

Maebeme said...

It is so sad to see the damage, especially with the arch. Trees and other plants will come back over time, but damage to the dunes and rocks will never be repaired.
Regardless it is a beautiful area!

Anvilcloud said...

So much damage must be so disheartening. I feel that way form afar.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Your stew looks delicious!
The sea stack break and damages are sad.

Beside a babbling brook... said...

-sigh- With hopes that nature does her best, to cover over the damage done here....

🎄 🎄 🎄

The Happy Whisk said...

I'm glad to read that many of the trees made it. And I'm glad that the park continues. Mama Earth is something. She really is. Whew.

William Kendall said...

Nature is resilient.

The Furry Gnome said...

We've been to the park, decades ago, so it's sad to see the damage.

Lorrie said...

Such a lot of damage, and yet nature adjusts. The long-tailed ducks are so elegant and graceful. I'm glad you're getting out and enjoying your picnics again.

Joanne Noragon said...

Thank you for the update on your park. I know you will carry one.

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

How fun to bring your hot lunch with you out into the cold. Your pics are lovely but felt bad to see the destruction from the storm. so sad..

At Home In New Zealand said...

Love your winter picnics :)
It is great to see nature bouncing back again, even if painfully slow in some areas. It seems there is always something changing in the landscape and nature just picks up and carries on.

John's Island said...

This post is an excellent example of why, in my humble opinion, blogging is the best form of social media. I’ve spent most of my life on the US West Coast, but have always had a fascination with the Canadian Maritime Provinces. A couple of years ago, it was my good luck to find Island Musings. I love your photography and the way you write up the descriptions for your posts. I think you already know all this, so forgive me for going on and on about it. 😊 Things in this post that fascinated me: Long-tailed Ducks … a first for me. The way you showed before and after pics for the MacKenzies Brook sea arch becoming a sea stack. The damage at the lighthouse. Beef stew and hot tea … Marie, you inspire me to do lunch like this along my waterfront walk. 😊 Thanks for sharing another excellent post and have a good week ahead. John

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
It is sad to see all the damage from Fiona. I especially would miss seeing that sea arch. I am sure the park will recover. Beautiful captures of the Long-tailed Ducks. Your stew looks yummy! Take care, enjoy your day!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Take heart, Marie, those downed trees will return their nutrients to the soil in the timeless manner of the forest and new life will spring from old. Such is the way of succession.

Bill said...

Sad to see all the damage but nature will work its wonders.

margi said...

Sad to see the damage on your beautiful island, but nature will recover. I like your winter picnics!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

With any luck the opening up of the Grove where the trees have fallen might allow the growth of wild flowers in the Spring and certainly some young saplings will emerge to take the place of those lost.

Sherry's Pickings said...

very sad to see the damage caused by the storm. was this recent? love the birds! Seeing the ducks reminded me of why an eiderdown is an eiderdown - the duck feathers of course :=)

Marie Smith said...

Hi Sherry,

The damage is from post tropical storm Fiona which blew through PEI the last weekend of September. The hurricane force winds caused a great deal of damage to homes, the power grid and trees, dunes etc.

I saw a program recently about Eider ducks in Iceland where harvester collect the down from their nests. I always think of the eiderdowns we had on our beds growing up. Incredibly warm!

Tabor said...

So sad to see all that damage. It is the sign of the times which we continue to ignore at our own peril.

Catarina said...

So much damage!
I'm sure that beef stew was delicious.

Pam said...

So many cool places to do a photography session. Nice.

baili said...

Story is heart breaking about the damage caused by the storm indeed!
Yet the final portion of this post cheers me up with hope dear Marie. Your picnic with delicious food and perfect company shows that life goes on among all the odds

Helen said...

This is a post of highs and lows for me. Wonderful that you are out and about albeit so cold. Some images bring joy - the first of Cavendish Grove seemingly intact and the beauty of the wildflowers. Others heartbreak, particularly the view in your second image, the home beside the lighthouse and the broken arch.
Winter now seems well underway.